What Is Paraphrasing?

As you have learnt from the previous unit, integrating sources means you use ideas from outside sources together with your own ideas in your work. You may integrate sources by using: Direct quoting, Paraphrasing, or Summarizing.

What Is Paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing is “restating someone else’s ideas in your own words,” while retaining meaning and length.
Paraphrasing is really about:

• Understanding a passage
• Internalizing the meaning of the text
• Restating the important points in your own voice

Some Principles of Paraphrasing

When paraphrasing, it is important to consider the following principles:

• Use your own words and own sentences.
• It has the same meaning to the source.
• It is usually similar in length to source.
• The details from the original passage is kept.
• Always cite the source.

When Should You Paraphrase?

Paraphrase in the following situations:

• when a direct quotation is too long or too wordy.
• when the exact, original wording is not as important as the meaning.
• when you don't want to break up the flow of your words.
• to show understanding of the material. Paraphrase to avoid quoting too much.

Paraphrasing Procedures

Paraphraing requires following these important steps:

Step 1: Reread the passage you intend to paraphrase

Step 2: Highlight the ideas that support your argument

Step 3: Without looking at the original passage write the important ideas in your own words

Step 4: Check to make sure that you have reworded, rephrased, and restructured the text.

Step 5: Credit the source.

Paraphrasing Components

When paraphrasing, you must include the following components:

• Author— The name of the authors or publishers
• Date — Date of publication
• Signal phrase — Verbs that introduces the paraphrased text
• Paraphrased text / Paraphrase — The passage, rewritten from the original passage, with your own words.
• Pagination — The page number where the original passage appears (It is advisable to use by APA although it is not required.)

Paraphrasing Structures

Here are the structure of paraphrasing:

1. Author (date) signal phrase … paraphrased text … (pagination).

2. Signal phrase  … paraphrased text … (Author, date, pagination).

Note: Passage quoted by other

3. Authors According to Original Author (date, as cited in Book Authors, date, pagination)….. paraphrased text …

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